₹499 crore rail doubling to boost freight in Bihar

Indian Railways has approved a ₹499 crore project to double the 44.40 km Mansi-Saharsa rail section in Bihar, aiming to strengthen freight capacity and improve cargo movement on one of East Central Railway’s high-utilisation corridors.

The Mansi-Saharsa section, part of the Mansi-Saraigarh route, currently operates as a single-line corridor and supports significant freight traffic alongside passenger operations. The route plays an important role in transporting essential commodities including wheat, maize, cement, fertilisers, rice, salt, sand, stone and sugar across the region.

According to Indian Railways, the section is operating beyond its designed capacity, with line utilisation reaching 108.11% and projected to rise to 119.34% by 2028–29, increasing pressure on train movement and operational efficiency.

The doubling project is expected to create additional rail capacity, reduce congestion and improve freight train movement by easing operational bottlenecks on the route.

Once commissioned, the upgraded corridor is expected to handle an additional 1.764 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic, supporting faster evacuation and more reliable transport for agricultural produce, construction materials and industrial cargo.

The project forms part of Indian Railways’ broader capacity expansion strategy to strengthen freight infrastructure, improve logistics efficiency and support growing cargo demand across key economic corridors in eastern India.

With additional line capacity, the project is expected to enhance supply chain reliability while enabling more efficient movement of bulk commodities across Bihar and adjoining markets.